How to Create a Comprehensive Reasonable Accommodation Policy

If you are reading this, chances are your organization, in some way shape or form, receives some type of federal funding. This means you should have a reasonable accommodation policy in place to address the potential needs of customers with disabilities. If your organization doesn’t currently have a Reasonable Accommodation Policy in place or you are interested in updating your existing policy, the resources below will help you create one.

1. A great place to start is by reviewing the EEOC guidelines for providing reasonable accommodations.
2. For American Job Centers (AJC), guidelines for providing reasonable accommodation can be found in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Section 188. (PROVIDE LINK)
3. When you’re ready to create your policy, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) offers guidelines to consider.

Here are excerpts from the SHRM on what your policy should cover:

• Basic information on the ADA.Don’t assume customer and employees know their rights. Explain the statute in broad terms but avoid outlining examples of what would and would not be approved.

• Guidelines for submitting a request.Consider how you’d like customers and employees to submit their requests. For both groups, you should provide a timeline for requests.
  

• The appropriate point of contact.It’s best to designate one person or a unit within your human resource department (for employees) to receive and manage all accommodation requests. This approach provides more consistency and ensures that the individual or group responsible is kept in the loop of all related circumstances.

• Communication standards.Explain what, when and how a customer or employee will be communicated with about their request. Setting expectations at the beginning of the process could help reduce concerns and cut down on unnecessary phone calls and emails.

For the complete guidelines on how to create a comprehensive policy for your organization, read the entire article, “How to Create a Robust Reasonable Accommodation Process” at the SHRM website. It includes valuable information that will help your organization create a culture of inclusion for all workers.